“All right, Benji, and sweetie? I really do want you to close and lock your window. I don’t know what would happen if I lost you too.”
“Okay, Grandma,” I muttered as she turned away.
“What’s this world coming to?” she whispered under her breath as she disappeared.
I slipped back into my room, letting out a huge sigh of relief. This was going to be big. I just knew it. Hopefully, it wasn’t something that was going to blow up in my face. I had to let it go. I was absolutely exhausted, and if I didn’t get some sleep, then things were going to take a turn for the worse. I still had to make it through school tomorrow and see Hen again after our fight in the woods. My mind was racing though.
Would she tell Buzz about seeing me, and for that matter, what had happened with Andy? I realized it had been hours since I’d talked to my clingy friend. Whatever was going on with his family had to be big. There wouldn’t be anything left of me if Hen and Buzz got to talking and I needed a friend in my corner. I made a mental note of texting Andy first thing in the morning before school.
I closed my eyes and let my body relax. “Come on, Benji, you’ve got to get some sleep.”
I thought about my mother. What if I dreamed about her again and my grandfather came in? I could really hurt him if I was sleeping. I thought everyone was a bad guy when I was in the throes of a nightmare. My eyes shot open and I sat up in bed, looking around and finally landing on something I could use. Unplugging my computer charger, I wrapped it around both of my legs before tying it to the bedpost and covering my legs back up with my blanket.
It might not work for a long-term plan, but at least it would work for now. Lying back down, I did my best to keep my mind at peace before drifting off to sleep. I just had to think of something happy, something like Hen. With a smile on my face, I drifted away peacefully for the first time in months. Maybe everything was going to be okay after all.
Chapter 13
I woke up the next morning feeling elated. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept so well. There hadn’t been any bad dreams. The last time that had happened was before my mother died. I shook off the memory and tried to get out of bed. I almost went crashing to the floor before remembering that I had tied myself down. The apartment was still standing so that was a pleasant surprise.
Not wanting to wait around for my grandparents to get up before going to school, I quietly got dressed and slipped out the front door. The bus was just about to pull away when I ran out the door and jumped onto it. The driver, an older woman, didn’t look thrilled at my antics as I sat down breathlessly behind her. There was no time to look around for Hen or Buzz as we drove to school.
The halls seemed to be buzzing with activity as I entered the school. Buzz shoved past me to storm down the hall, and when I didn’t see Hen following behind him right away, I spun around. She saw me and smiled weakly.
“Hey,” she mumbled.
“Hey,” I replied weakly. “So, how was your weekend?”
Hen shrugged. “Not terrible, I guess, but I did want to talk to you.”
“About what happened at the park?” I interjected. “I really am sorry about that. I guess I needed more sleep than I thought.”
She shook her head. “No, about something different.”
The bell chimed, and she looked past me to her first class. “I guess we’re out of time. I’ll just talk to you later, okay?”
“Umm,” I said. I wasn’t sure what to say to her. “Sure.”
“Okay, see ya,” she said as she jogged down the quickly emptying hallway and into a classroom.
I couldn’t imagine what she wanted to talk to me about. The last thing I knew was that she didn’t like me. I could actually venture to say that she hated me. It was strange, but I didn’t have time to think about it as I quickly made my way to my first class. I loved biology, but something was different as I walked into the classroom. The teacher hadn’t made it in yet, and all the students were crowded around one kid with a tablet.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
One of them looked up at me. “It’s a news report. Turns out there are superheroes flying around the city. People can’t decide if they’re good guys or bad guys.”
“Where is the teacher?” I muttered.
The kid, I didn’t know his name yet, just shrugged. “Don’t know and don’t care. Probably in the teachers’ lounge watching the same report as us. It’s everywhere, man, an international sensation.”
“I don’t get it. How did people find out about it?”
“Some kid helped a lady, but there’s another one. Someone robbed a jewelry store and the history museum over the weekend.”
“So, there is more than one?”
“At least two that they know of, but there is a rumor about more. They’re supposed to be doing a special interview with the woman today and have some top-secret news to reveal, but you know how the press is. They will make up anything for a quick buck.”
“Sure,” I said warily. The kid sounded like a bit of a conspiracy nut so I wasn’t going to ask him any more questions.
I left the group of students after seeing what channel the one holding the tablet was watching. I retreated to my seat and pulled it up on my own phone just as the news anchor introduced their agent in the field. She was a pretty, if not older, woman. She smiled wide at the camera, and right away, I recognized the woman standing next to her. Though she’d done her makeup and changed, it was the same woman from the night before.
“We’re here today with Monica Every, who claims that she was saved last night by a young boy with superpowers. What can you tell us about the ordeal? Did you feel threatened by him at all?”
“Of course not! He was a hero. These two men came out of nowhere and were going to take me! The electric boy came out of nowhere and scared them off.”
“Do you really think that was his only intention?”
“Well, duh,” she said with a slightly bitter note. “He was the good guy, remember?”
“There are others out there questioning whether the surge of people with powers is a good thing or a negative one. Do you have anything to say to those who think that people with powers should all be locked away?”
“Listen,” Monica snapped. “If that kid were locked away I would be in a cell somewhere about to get sold into a human trafficking ring. That kid saved my life. That’s all I know about superheroes.”
“You said that bolts of lightning shot out of his hands. Do you want to add anything to that?”
She nodded. “The bolts were purple, if you can believe that. I didn’t get a good look at his face, but I know that he was younger, maybe eighteen? If a kid like that can make the decision to protect someone even when he doesn’t have to, then why would anyone want to get rid of people with powers?”
“Well, now, that leads us into our next story. The authorities believe that they have found the lab where several people were being administered a trial drug that’s believed to have given them powers. Do you think the police have a right to go and find out just who these people are?”
My heart started to race. If they went to the clinic and found out that I had powers, I would be the outcast of the whole school even more than I already was. Of course, that was if they even let me stay here. Depending on how the rest of the live report went, I would need to make a plan for getting out of the city. It might be time to bring someone else in on who I really was, but who? I didn’t really have a laundry list of people I trusted.
The reporter grabbed her ear and started to jog in the opposite direction of the woman she was interviewing. It was then that I saw a familiar building in the background. It was the clinic where I had joined the trial. I could see the billows of smoke coming from the top floors.
“We have just gotten word that the building where police believe the clinical trials occurred is up in flames. The firefighters are on their way, but who knows how long that will take?”
I swallowed h
ard and watched everything happening as the woman continued to talk. “This is live coverage of what’s happening, but we have just been informed that there was no one inside the building at the time. Its office doesn’t open for several more hours.”
A police officer came into the frame and gently pushed the reporter a little farther away from the building. “Sir, is there anything that you can tell us? The public wants an update on the situation.”
He shook his head. “At this time, the fire is considered to be an accident, but we will give more updates as we have them. All we know right now is that this is the location that certain trials were taking place. We’re asking that anyone with information comes down to the lower Manhattan police station.”
“Do you know how many people are believed to be walking around with powers?”
The officer glared at the reporter. “From what we’ve been told, there are only five people who may have responded to the call for medical testing. Unfortunately, those records were sealed in the building, and it’s not looking like we’re ever going to discover their identities. One man is currently in custody.”
“Do you believe that the others are dangerous?”
“You’re the voice of the public,” he grumbled. “You tell me.”
“What about the news of a jewelry heist and a theft from the history museum? Do you have any comment on that story unfolding? Our reports tell us that it might have been someone with powers, possibly another trial victim?”
“I wouldn’t call any of these people victims. They knew that they were going to be injected with something, but I cannot discuss an ongoing case.”
The woman shrugged and turned back to the camera. “We’re live outside the location where a fire has just broken out, taking the identity of the superheroes down with it. Trisha Danners is live at the natural history museum, where a heist happened early this morning. The description from the victims is the same as the jewelry store robbery that happened over the weekend. Trisha?”
The camera cut out and reappeared at a different location. I couldn’t believe what was happening. How could people really make the connection between superpowers and the clinical trials unless the man from the hospital last night was the same one in custody? A part of me was relieved that I wouldn’t have to go back there, but I was still worried. With one man in custody, that left another three still out there. Was it possible that they had all gone dark? What was I going to do?
“Thanks, Monica. We’re talking to the security guard for the museum. He just told us a chilling story of powers that small children should leave the room for. Mr. Banks, can you tell us again what happened?”
A greying man nodded his head, smoothing back his hair and looking into the camera lens. It was obvious that this wasn’t the first time he told the story, and he was enjoying every second of attention that he could get. It was probably the most exciting thing that had happened to him in years.
“I tell you what, it was the strangest thing that I’ve ever seen in my life and I’ve been working here for damn near a decade.”
“You said ‘seen’. Can you elaborate on that?”
He laughed. “I reckon that isn’t the right word. I didn’t see anything that happened. Actually, none of us did. We was just doing our regular rounds when I heard some commotion up in the archives.”
“And you went to investigate, isn’t that right? You put your own life on the line to make sure that the artifacts were safe?”
The man blushed and nodded his head. “Yeah, I told my boys to come join me round front. I’m wondering if I’d let them stay at the entrance if they would have gotten a look at her.”
“Her?” asked the reporter.
“I know it was a lady. I could hear her voice. She came in and started laughing, but before any of us could get a good look at her, things went dark.”
“Can you explain?”
“Sure can. I thought I was going blind at first. Thought maybe it was that Japanese war chemical that they used back in the sixties, but there wasn’t any pain. Everything just sort of disappeared. I could hear her moving around though.”
“Were you able to follow the sound?”
“Nope, couldn’t move or do a damn thing about it. I tell you, it was like she wrapped me up in a blanket so I couldn’t move. Strangest thing I’ve even seen in all my years.”
“Thank you,” said the reporter before the screen split into two and the news station took up half the screen.
“So, we’re hearing now that they believe it was the same woman at both locations. Do the police have any leads?” asked the male anchor.
The reporter shook her head. “Mike, the police are as baffled by this as the rest of the general public. Many of them are still searching for answers after the same woman apparently robbed Rebecca’s Diamond on Fifth Avenue this weekend. We tried to get in a word with the owners but were told by their attorney that they have no comment at this time.”
“Wow,” said Mike. “Thanks, Trisha and Monica, who are out working the field for us today. We will keep the public posted as soon as new information comes to light. Until then, anyone with information about the electric boy or the woman who can cause darkness is asked to contact their local police station to be directed toward the right channels.”
I set my phone down and leaned back in my seat. It was wild to think that there were others out there like me, but that wasn’t what had me worried. I knew the media well. This was something that would fade into nothingness if that damn woman would stop robbing places. I had no doubt that the jewelry store was the same one that was owned by Andy’s family, but the question now was whether Andy would think like the rest of the public and assume ‘Electric Boy’ was bad or if he would stand by me.
One thing was certain. I needed to find this Darkness and take her down to the police. The last thing I needed was a mob of angry people hunting me down because of my new powers. It wouldn’t take long for them to make the connection between me and the burned tree in the park. I hadn’t done a great job of avoiding cameras, but in my defense, I didn’t know that I was going to be on the run for my life.
“All right, everyone,” my teacher muttered as he walked in. “I know that we’re all on edge after seeing the news report, but let’s try and calm down.”
“Mr. Pletcher?” piped up one girl. “What does the school do if a hero comes here? I mean, they’re saying that Electric Boy is our age.”
He smiled passively. “I don’t think that we need to worry about it anymore. The authorities will find the five people who were part of the clinical trial. Until then, just be safe and do like the news said. Anyone with information should come forward.”
“I wouldn’t come forward,” chimed in another girl. “I mean, how cool would that be to be dating a superhero?”
All the girls in the classroom started to giggle and talk, the men looking a little nervous until one of the lacrosse players spoke up. “Shut up, Julia. That joke of a hero is probably sitting at home, hiding from the cops right now.”
She rolled her eyes and flicked her hair. “You’re just jealous that it’s not you. Worried you’ve got a little competition for prom king this year, Derek?”
The class erupted into two sides of the argument as the teacher tried to get them under control. I just sat back and watched it unfold, a smile on my face. The girls loved Electric Boy, even if I hated that name, and I was pretty sure that with my new powers, I could take down any of the lacrosse players. They weren’t my concern anymore. I had to stop The Darkness. She was making a mess of everything for me, and I wasn’t about to let her ruin a good thing.
Finally, I had a mission with my life and with my new powers. As the teacher struggled to gain control, I thought about my own problems. If I was going to beat The Darkness, I would need a much better handle on what I was doing, and for that, I would need privacy. It was time to get ahold of Andy.
Chapter 14
The morning seemed to fly by. I was the talk
of the entire school, though no one knew it was me. There were people who supported me and those who thought more like my grandfather did. Still, the good votes seemed to outweigh the bad ones, and by lunch time, I was ready for a little peace and quiet. I grabbed a sandwich and drink from the lunch line before escaping to the school’s courtyard. No one came outside for lunch today. They were all too busy watching the news and talking about the powers they’d like to have.
Little did they know that I didn’t get to pick my powers. None of us did. I was still struggling to wrap my head around the numbers. There were five of us in all. I knew one would stay on the police radar no matter what—the man with the ability to freeze things. The way my grandmother talked, he wasn’t inherently bad. Still, the police had him in custody, and I seriously doubt they were going to let him roam around the city any time soon.
The Darkness, as she’d been named, was my main concern. She was making things hell for me. I couldn’t help but think of what the papers would say if I stopped her and really became a hero. Saving the woman in the alley was one thing, but now that the world knew about me, I had to make a move. I thought about Andy again. If anyone would be able to help me out, it would be him. It was something I would have to approach cautiously.
When the cafeteria doors opened, I automatically looked down at my phone. It was an overcast day, and there was no way that lunch was over already. By the time I looked up and saw her walking in my direction, it was too late to flee. I choked down the bite in my mouth and quickly took a drink as she stopped a few feet away from me.
“Do you always eat out here alone?” asked Hen.
I nodded carefully. “The welcome wagon hasn’t really offered me anywhere else to sit, so yeah.”
Her cheeks blushed and she shifted awkwardly. “It’s pretty crazy what’s going on, right? All this talk of superheroes and villains. I feel like we’re in a comic book.”
The City Superhero (Book 1): Rise Of The Super Strike Page 10
